The present invention relates to controlling operation of mobile telephones and more specifically to controlling recall and storage of telephone numbers and associated information in a cellular telephone memory using a multiple-mode user interface.
Digitally controlled mobile telephones typically provide a large number of memory locations for storing frequently called telephone numbers. This is particularly useful in automobile cellular telephones used in order to minimize the number of buttons that are pressed (i.e., keypresses) to initiate a call. A typical telephone unit may offer up to 100 stored numbers.
In order to provide convenient use of the memory capabilities, the recall and storing of telephone numbers is preferably quick and easy to implement. Furthermore, it is desirable from a cost and size standpoint to use a compact display in association with displaying the phone numbers and other information.
Individual preferences may vary as to the easiest way to remember a telephone number or a party to be called. Furthermore, the ability to remember a number, a speed-dial code, or a name is related to the frequency at which the particlar number is called. Even though every telephone number in memory may have a corresponding speed-dial code (e.g., its memory location), it is unlikely that a person could remember the speed-dial codes for a large number of stored telephone numbers. In some instances, alphabetic names associated with the number may be easier for a person to remember. Thus, the search for a convenient-to-use mobile telephone design is subject to the apparently conflicting desires to make large amounts of stored information available to the user, but with a minimum number of steps to be followed to access each individual piece of information and with a compact apparatus that displays only the needed information.